Manmohan Singh sidesteps questions on fresh taxes

Former Finance Minister Manmohan Singh, on Saturday, sidestepped questions on government's likely plans
to go in for a fresh dose of moderate taxes and non-tax measures to mop up resources for quake-hit Gujarat.

"We will see when the government brings it forward," Singh, who is the Leader of the Opposition in the Rajya Sabha,
told reporters when asked to comment on Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee's statement that two per cent additional
surcharge on Income and Corporate Taxes was not enough to tackle the situation in Gujarat.

The senior Congress leader brushed aside a related question by saying that he would not go into these "controversial
ideas now." However, he said that whatever was necessary for the relief and rehabilitation of the quake victims in Gujarat, should be
done.